A Summer in the Town of Forks, Washington
by Reetinkerbell
Summary: It is the summer before Bella's Junior year of High School. Renee has just met Phil Dwyer, and sends Bella to Charlie in Forks for the summer. Bella enjoys reconnecting with her father, but Bella being Bella, she soon lands herself in the hospital – where she is stitched together by Dr. Carlisle Cullen, whose son takes a special interest in her.
1. Arrival

**Title** : A Summer in the Town of Forks, Washington

 **Fandom** : Twilight Series

 **Characters** : Ensemble. **Pairing** : Eventual Edward/Bella.

 **Summary** : It is the summer before Bella's Junior year of High School. Renee has just met Phil Dwyer, and sends Bella to Charlie in Forks for the summer. Bella enjoys reconnecting with her father, but Bella being Bella, she soon lands herself in the hospital – where she is stitched together by Dr. Carlisle Cullen, whose son takes a special interest in her.

 **Rating** : PG

 **Word Count** : ~14 000

 **Chapters** : Eight in total.

 **Spoilers** : None, so long as you know that Edward is a vampire.

 **Author's Note** : I wrote this in one sitting back in 2013 (the 22nd of January according to the Word document) and never got around to posting it. I have only looked it over briefly (mainly to make sure the italics and whatnot works) but figured if I didn't do it now, I never would. All mistakes are mine.

 **Distribution** : Link only please.

 **Written** : January 2013

 **Chapter One: Arrival**

It was summer again. Bella sighed as she stepped off the small plane in Port Angeles; glad to see her father again after nearly a year, but not entirely happy to have to spend her whole summer vacation in the rainy town of Forks. But Renee had insisted, wanting Bella to spend more time with her father.

Bella thought her mother's insistence had more to do with her budding romance with Phil Dwyer, the minor league baseball player she'd met a few months ago at a party, than any real desire for Bella to further her relationship with Charlie, much less with Forks and the inhabitants.

So instead of their customary two weeks in California, a change Bella had insisted upon implementing only two years ago, she was to spend her time with Charlie in Forks once more. Only this time it would be for nearly seven weeks, instead of two.

The only upside was that she would have a great excuse to spend the whole summer inside reading; it was raining outside and she didn't know anyone. Another plus was that her father would continue to work his regular shifts at the police station for the duration of her stay; which meant that not only would he not hover, as much as Charlie could ever be accused of hovering, but he would be too busy with work to feel the need to fill their weeks together with constant activity in an attempt at elevating what he perceived as boredom on her part. Most of the activities he'd come up with in the past had been things neither had enjoyed, and it'd often prevented them from truly spending time together.

Even if she had to go back to Forks to do it, Bella was surprisingly looking forward to getting to know her father as he was when he was at home, without the added pressure of performance or lack of time.

Her father was waiting for her, thankfully outside the terminal and not inside where they would've had to exchange awkward hugs and pleasantries alongside much more vocal and emotional family reunions. Bella had always hated airports; her goodbye to her emotional mother had only reinforced that hate, and meeting Charlie was a relief.

He was leaning against his cruiser, but stood to help her with her bag when he saw her coming through the doors. His smile was wide, and he hugged her with one arm as he took her largest suitcase with the other; thankfully, it had been a roller case, or else Bella wouldn't have been able to carry it with her.

"It's good to see you again, Bells," Charlie said as he released her from the short, but heartfelt, embrace. "I'll take that one too." He motioned to the bag she had slung over her shoulder.

Bella released it to his care and watched as he expertly placed both bags in the trunk of his car. "It's good to see you too, Dad."

The smile he shot her was worth the time she'd spent conditioning herself to calling him _dad_ instead of her usual _Charlie_.

The trip home was uneventful; it rained and Charlie did not speed.

"I had your room redone, sort of," he said as he helped her carry the bags up the steps to the front door. "I wasn't sure what you might like in terms of color, so if you want, we could go tomorrow to check out some stores in Port Angeles and get you some things. Like a comforter. Beds needs comforters, don't you think?"

He seemed nervous, and Bella couldn't help but smile at him as she recognized her own mannerisms, all the clearer now that she was paying attention. "That'd be great, Dad. I don't have a comforter at home, but I should probably get one here, since it's much colder at night even in the summer."

"Great. I'll move your bags up for you, then I figured we'd order in. You hungry?"

Bella replied in the affirmative as she followed him up the stairs and into her room. He left her with a small pat on her shoulder on his way out, closing the door behind him to give her privacy. Bella looked around the room; it looked the same as last time, but for a few key differences. The rocking chair from her nursery still stood in the corner, but the changing table with drawers (which had doubled as a temporary storage space for her clothes the last time she'd stayed there) that used to stand beside the chair had been exchanged for a proper dresser.

No rug covered the floor, and the hardwood had been beautifully polished; the image of Charlie Swan, mustache and all, kneeling on the floor as he waxed it with an old flannel shirt brought out a snort from Bella. Her old "big-girl" bed had been exchanged as well, for a larger bed; already made. Next to it stood a small bedside table, with a reading lamp on top.

There was also a desk, tucked in a corner, with a comfortable, if old looking, chair. There were no curtains in the room, and Bella assumed this would have to be purchased the following day. More than likely, Charlie had none to spare that hadn't been for her childhood room or was severely outdated. And now, at almost seventeen, he probably figured she would rather spend one night in a room without any curtains than the alternative. And it wasn't as though she would be unable to sleep; the streetlamps were far and few between even in the best of cases and the evenings were dark even in summer.

Bella sat down on the bed, surprised at how soft it was, and looked around the blank walls. The room felt fresh, and she realized Charlie had probably aired the room out when he'd cleaned it for her arrival. Bella was thankful for it now, as it was too cold out to keep the window open for any length of time - at least for her, used as she was to the constant Arizona heat.

She unhitched her carry-on from her back, and unzipped the bag. Inside, she carried the most important items she'd brought with her; the first was a photo of Bella with her parents, taken the year before. _What had been, to Bella, a stroke of good luck, her mother had been able to go to San Francisco to pick Bella up, and spend a few days in the city with her daughter, so Charlie wouldn't have to go back to Arizona to drop her off._ Though Bella knew her parents would never get back together, it was nice that they had reached a point in their relationship where they could spend the day together as friends, which they had done on Charlie's last day with Bella. The photo had been taken down at Fisherman's Warf, and all three wore big smiles as they enjoyed the sunshine and the seals.

Bella placed the frame on her bedside table, where it was quickly joined by two more which she arranged as best she could on the small surface. One frame contained a photo from a masquerade party she'd gone to with her mother; Renee had dressed up as the Wicked Witch, and Bella as Dorothy, complete with red sparkling no-heel shoes and a stuffed dog she carted around in a small wicker basket. The other frame had been a gift from her best friend in Phoenix, Ryan. It held a photo of the two of them, taken one week before Bella left; in it, they were smiling and their happy faces filled nearly the whole frame.

All three photos made her smile when she saw them, and as she couldn't have Ryan or her mother with her in Forks, it was the closest she could get to seeing them every day as she was used to.

She had only known Ryan for a year, ever since he moved into the house next to hers with his family. Despite their short friendship, they had quickly found each other; Bella was a shy and awkward teenage girl who took care of her mother more than her mother took care of her, and Ryan was a gay teen afraid to come out to his strict military father.

Neither felt as though they fit in, for different reasons, and they had both been outcasts in school; by their own choice as much as by the choice of the "popular" crowd. Everyone, including Ryan's parents, thought they were dating; everyone but Renee, who'd thought the same up until she attempted to have _The Talk_ with Bella, right before Christmas. It had been awkward for everyone involved, and Ryan had agreed to let Renee in on his secret.

Ryan and Bella had both played up the rumors of their teenage romance in school, finding it much simpler to go along with what everyone else already through than to try and explain their friendship without outing Ryan in the process. In the end, it had made their friendship stronger.

Bella spent the next twenty minutes unpacking her stuff; mainly clothes, but her luggage also included several books, and were the reason for her needing a large roller case for the trip. She used the desk to shelve her books, and was just putting the last one, a battered and well-loved copy of _Pride and Prejudice_ in place when the doorbell downstairs rang.

Figuring it was the food, Bella exited her room and walked down the stairs just in time to see a boy, not much older than her, leave the doorway, cash in hand. He turned to say something to Charlie, when he spotted her and his eyes lit up as he took her in.

"Goodbye, Michael," Charlie said firmly, closing the door on whatever the boy had been about to say to her.

Bella smiled as Charlie carried the pizza into the living room, looking at the closed door. Had it been her mother, she probably would've invited the boy inside to help Bella "talk to the opposite sex".

She followed her father, watching him as he placed the hot pie on the table. He'd already collected plates, napkins and a pizza cutter from the kitchen, and he wasted no time in slicing up the pizza. She sat down on the sofa, feeling awkward. The TV was on, but she wasn't sure who was playing; she wasn't even entirely sure what sport Charlie was watching, as the screen was currently occupied by the commentators.

At least Charlie had ordered her favorite pizza; cheese and mushroom. She knew he preferred pepperoni.

"Thanks, Dad," Bella said as she plated a slice up for herself.

Charlie said nothing, but smiled in reply.

They spent the evening eating pizza in comfortable silence, watching European soccer. Bella wasn't sure who won the game, but she enjoyed the quiet downtime with her father. It was why she'd agreed to go to Forks in the first place; to be with him in a casual and familiar setting, where he would feel less obligated to entertain her constantly.

Bella went to bed when the game ended, in her old nursery without curtains. The last thing she saw before she turned off the bedside lamp, were the three photos she'd placed by the side of the bed. They made her smile, and despite the strangeness of the pitter-patter of the rain on her window, and the odd creak from the old house she was unaccustomed to, she passed her first night back in Forks in a deep sleep.

 _Chapter Two: Port Angeles_


	2. Port Angeles

**Chapter Two: Port Angeles**

Bella woke to the scent of coffee.

She didn't drink it herself, but her mother could not function in the mornings without at least one cup, extra-large, and the scent of it brewing always woke her up. Bella was an early riser by nature, especially compared to her mother, so if Renee had gotten out of bed and was making coffee, it was a clear sign Bella was late for school. It was this unconscious thought that woke her.

 _It took her a moment to realize where she was, as she sat up in bed to look around; a bed that'd proven much more comfortable to sleep in than the one she had at home. The sun wasn't out, but it was no longer dark; unless you looked up at the clouds, many of which threatened rain._ Bella got out of bed, stretching and yawning as she padded barefoot across the cold and bare floor; she made a mental note to pick up some slippers to have around the house, as she'd forgotten to pack her usual pair.

She used the bathroom quickly, not even glancing in the mirror as she washed her hands and then face. Stepping out onto the landing, she could hear her father in the kitchen, and she went down to join him.

"Good morning," she said as she saw him, his back to her as he prepared pancakes by the stove.

Charlie jumped and spun, the spatula suddenly turning into an impromptu weapon, which he raised against the intruder. Bella looked at him, eyes wide and halted mid-step. Charlie coughed awkwardly, and attempted to smile.

"Good morning," he returned, lowering the spatula again. "I didn't see you there. Did you have a good night's sleep?"

Bella, her heart still working double-time from the sudden shock, nodded.

"Sit down; I'll get you your breakfast."

Charlie turned back to the pancakes as Bella sat down at the table. When he finally placed a plate in front of her, it was filled with disfigured pancakes. Bella said nothing, not wanting to upset her father who'd taken the time to make her breakfast; something he more than likely didn't do even for himself most mornings.

"Thank you," she said instead, slathering on more syrup than she would usually.

Charlie frowned down at his own plate as he sat down across from her. "I hope they taste good," he said, sounding as dubious as Bella felt.

Still, Bella was used to her mother's failed attempts at cooking, so she gamely took a bite. Though slightly burnt here and there, and certainly not winning any beauty contests, the pancakes tasted fine and she was quick in telling her father so. It seemed to relieve him, and soon they were both eating happily.

"So, today, I figured we should head out as soon as we are ready," Charlie said, scraping the last piece of pancake from his plate onto his fork. "It'll take us almost forty minutes to get there, and since I have to work tomorrow and you don't have a license, we should make the most of the time we have to get you all that you need."

"Sounds good," Bella agreed, finishing her juice; thankfully from a carton and thus properly sugary to wake her up – her dentist would not have approved of her breakfast, but then he didn't approve of anything. "I'm done now, let me just change."

She took her plate and glass to the sink, despite Charlie's protests he could do it, before heading upstairs. Having a rather limited wardrobe, in part due to funds but mainly due to not caring overly much about fashion, Bella had no problems deciding what to wear. The only decision she spent any time contemplating was whether she should bring a cardigan and her jacket, or a thick sweater, or both. In the end, she put the sweater on and carried the rain jacket with her, with the intent of leaving it in the car until needed.

Her mother had brought it for her in preparation of a trip to Maine that'd never happened; as if fate knew she would need it a mere two months later when she was shipped off to Forks.

Her father was watching game scores on the TV when she interrupted him; he didn't seem to mind though, shutting the device off immediately.

"Let's go," he said, seemingly oddly eager to go shopping with his teenage daughter.

As he grabbed the keys and escorted her out of the house, Bella wondered why he was not reacting the way most fathers would – or, how she had heard most fathers did – at the thought of shopping with a teenage girl. Perhaps he knew that since she was so much like him, theirs would be a painless and highly efficient shopping trip, or perhaps it was a buildup from years of not being able to take her to a store to buy her what she needed, and this was the outlet of his desire to provide for his daughter.

Either way, they settled in the car and spent the drive chatting about nothing, with the music down low. The cruiser, although attracting far more attention than Bella was comfortable with, had the saving grace of heated seats; though summer, as suspected, it rained a lot, and the windows were fogged from the cold outside.

Charlie drove them straight to a large department store, and only when they entered – the first to do so, the store having just opened – did Bella realize she hadn't made a list of what she would need. Curtains, a rug or possibly two smaller ones, slippers and… maybe something to cover the many white walls in her bedroom. Better hangers for her paltry supply of clothes too, for sure.

As Bella mentally went over her room in her father's house, a small frown on her face, he seemed to already have a plan as he steered them directly to the fabric department.

They spent the rest of the day picking out items; not just for Bella's room, but for the whole house. Walking by the small, but well-stocked, home improvement section, Charlie made the spur of the moment decision to purchase new paint for the kitchen, asking for Bella's input on color.

What was supposed to have been a quick stop for a pint of color for the cabinets turned into a conversation about which color would suit which room the best, and, in the end, they walked away with paint not only for the kitchen and Bella's room, but for the entry hallway, the bathroom and the living room – the latter room would only get a focus wall, so the can of forest green was smaller than the others.

While there, Charlie also put in an order for outside paint, having planned on repainting the house itself for several years but never gotten around to it.

It seemed to Bella that Charlie had been waiting for her to come along and kick him into gear, because suddenly he was more than willing to change.

"I'll ask Harry if he knows if some of the kids on the reservation might want to help out," Charlie said as they excited the store; poorer, but happier.

"I wouldn't mind doing it myself, Dad," Bella said. The title rolled off her tongue so easily, even after such a small amount of time, that she didn't even think about it.

"Not the outside, you don't." Charlie gave her a stern look. "I mean it, Bells. I don't trust you on a ladder."

Bella huffed. "Fine. I'm not _that_ bad you know."

Charlie only gave her a look that said he knew otherwise, which Bella chose to ignore.

They loaded up the car with their purchases, and were just about to drive all the way back to Forks when Charlie turned to his daughter.

"Are you hungry?"

She agreed that she was, and instead of heading down the main road towards Forks, he turned the car around and drove to a small restaurant; Bella Italia.

They spoke freely over their early dinner, as if the shopping expedition had opened up the door and allowed their natural reserve to escape. Though the situation was far from the same, as Bella and Charlie laughed over a story about Matt, one of the officers and his first day at Forks Police Department, where he kept on high-alert for something to happen, as he'd come from the much more bustling streets of Seattle, Bella was reminded of Ryan. The easy comradery, the lulls of quiet that were comfortable rather than awkward, and the unspoken affection that she had always associated with her best friend, she now realized she also shared with her father.

Bella was increasingly glad she'd come to Forks for the summer.

 _Chapter Three: Room with a View_


	3. Room with a View

**Chapter Three: Room with a View**

Charlie had left for work, and the coffee scent still lingered in the air when Bella came down the stairs. She'd been in Forks for three days and already she was used to the sound of the rain on her window as she slept.

She made breakfast and ate it at the kitchen table, absently admiring the new color on the cabinets. The previous one, a holdover from when her mother had lived in the house, had faded to a very ugly shade of yellow over the past decade. Bella had decided they would be the first thing they painted, and Charlie had easily agreed. She could live with white walls in her bedroom for another few days, if it meant the puke-colored yellow in the kitchen was replaced with the calmer blue she'd picked out at the store. They'd had a lot of fun painting; more fun than she thought they would have.

Her father was a funny guy, and she was glad she had the opportunity to get to know him better. She was entering her junior year of high school in a few months, and she would go from one school to another when she started college. At which point she would more than likely not take the time to go visit her father, as she would be busy with classes and her new life.

Charlie had forbidden her from painting her room by herself, mainly because he'd yet to move the furniture away from the walls for easier access. Her father seemed to think Bella incapable of moving heavy objects. Knowing that she would be unable to help herself from painting _something_ while he was away, Charlie had cleared the space in the living room for the focus wall. Bella, wanting to make the house nicer for her father, decided to have the room finished when he returned from work.

As an added bonus, the wall she'd chosen had hosted a variety of school photos of her; once the wall was painted, she planned on putting up images that were much more flattering. She might not be a vain person, but her father's display of her awkwardness through-out the years was simply too embarrassing to ignore when presented with the chance to change it.

Being already dressed in paint splattered clothes, Bella only went upstairs to brush her teeth after eating, before entering the living room. Her father had prepared everything she might need the evening before, as he wouldn't be joining her. All she had to do was open the paint can, stir it with a stick and then start painting; she had assured Charlie that she was more than capable of handling it.

It proved to be easier said than done.

Half an hour later, the can remained firmly shut. The lid refused to separate from the can, no matter how many times Bella tried to twist the dull knife under it and twist, just as Charlie had showed her.

Frustrated and sweaty, Bella threw the knife into a corner of the room. She decided to take a break, fighting the urge to curse.

Feeling overheated, she went into the kitchen and grabbed a glass from the drying rack on the counter.

The glass was still wet from its rinse after breakfast, and in her frustration, Bella had grabbed it with some force. The momentum when she pulled back made the glass slip from her hand, and land with a crash on the floor.

She sighed heavily, counting backwards from ten in an attempt at finding _inner peace_ , as her mother harped on about for the three weeks she attended meditation, before she went to find the broom to clean up her mess.

Naturally, when she came back into the room, barefooted, she stepped on a large and very sharp piece of glass.

The pain was intense and the blood was flowing. Bella only noticed she'd fallen to the floor when she had to crawl to the opposite counter to reach the phone. She had never been more glad that her father was a police officer when she could dial 911 and get both him and an ambulance at the same time.

Bella fainted, from the shock as much as the pain and loss of blood, with the phone still in her hand. She hadn't closed out the call, and the operator, Mrs. Shelly, heard her body slump over the rest of the way and the phone clatter to the floor.

She remained on the line, calling out Bella's name, until the Chief arrived, frantic. He was closely followed by the ambulance personnel and in no time at all, but what felt like forever for Charlie Sawn, Bella was admitted to the hospital.

–

Bella woke. She opened her eyes, took a surprised breath, and screamed.

"What?" Charlie asked sleepily, sitting up from the chair he'd slept uncomfortably in. The overhead light turned on as a nurse hurried into the room, and he blinked rapidly at the sudden glare.

When he saw his daughter's terrified expression, he quickly stood, all sleepiness gone. He was a father, and a cop, and his daughter needed him.

"What's wrong?" he asked, coming up to her beside.

"I-... I thought I saw someone," Bella admitted. Her eyes were not focused on her father, but over his shoulder, out the window.

Charlie turned, studying the view. There was nothing, not even a tree. They were on the top floor of a four-story building, and it being a hospital, the facade was as boring as it could get – nothing stood out or cast shadows over the windows, especially not so high up as they were.

"Did something fly by?"

"What?" Bella blinked, finally focusing on her father. "No, I- no. I must've just had a nightmare."

Her nurse fuzzed over her for a few more minutes, asking questions and administering more pain reliever through the drop by her side. Bella settled down against the pillows again, and Charlie returned to his uncomfortable chair.

"What happened? How long have I been out?" She need not ask where she was, though she'd not been in Forks for almost two years; she recognized the hospital quite well. And even if she'd never stepped foot in this hospital before, she would've been a fool not to realize where she was; all hospitals looked and smelled the same.

"You cut your foot," Charlie said. "You've been out since this morning."

"I had planned on visiting Dr. Gerandy on this trip, to say hello, but not quite like this," Bella joked.

Charlie smiled sadly at her attempted humor. "It wasn't Dr. Gerandy who fixed you up; it was Dr. Cullen, our new Resident Chief."

"Oh? You never told me Dr. Gerandy quit." Bella yawned, but forced her eyes to stay open. Charlie didn't notice, but more than once did she throw a cautious glance at the window. Of course, with the light in the room still lit, all she could see was the reflection of her room, mirrored back against the glass.

"He didn't," Charlie said, oblivious to Bella's distress.

The machine measuring her heart recorded every spike, but thankfully without a sound.

"He's still here, only Dr. Cullen has taken over Dr. Gerandy's former role as Chief. He's a great man, Dr. Cullen. You'll meet him tomorrow. He doesn't think you will scar too badly."

Bella smiled, genuinely. "That's a relief." She yawned again.

"You should try and get some more sleep. I'll shut the light off." Charlie stood and did just that.

Bella was glad he'd given her the warning; immediately, she turned to the window. With the room dark once more, she could see the outside. It was empty; not even a whisper of a movement.

Bella wasn't sure if she was disappointed or relieved.

She didn't dare tell her father, because it was ridiculous. But despite the pain relievers, muddling up her system, she was certain she was of enough clear mind not to hallucinate something so ludicrous.

What she had seen, out the window, when she woke, was the face of a boy. He'd been hanging upside down, like a bat, showing only his face and shoulders; his hands hadn't been visible, as though he'd been using them to hold onto the edge of the roof.

He'd been staring at her.

Now he was gone; scared away by her screams, or possibly her father's words and the realization that she would be able to see him again when the lights were off. Or maybe he was still there, only hiding up on the roof, ready to pop down again when she least expected it.

Either way, Bella was too scared to sleep. Only the medication pulling her under made it possible for her to shut her eyes, even though she was afraid.

When she woke the next morning, her nightly visitor seemed like a dream. A dream she had half forgotten, until her father reminded her of it, by asking her if she'd slept all right, or if she'd had more nightmares.

Bella had said she was fine, lying to her father. Her heart beat furiously as she recalled the details to herself; he'd been gone so quickly, all she could remember with real clarity was his paleness. And his eyes, which had stood out in stark contrast from the rest of his face.

His eyes had been completely black.

 _Chapter Four: Dr. Cullen_


	4. Dr Cullen

**Chapter Four: Dr. Cullen**

The man who stepped into Bella's private room was incredibly handsome.

Charlie stood to greet him, and the two men shook hands. Had Bella been lucid enough to notice, their comradery would've been evident to her. These two men respected each other; respected the other's profession and personality.

But Bella, sixteen and awkward, simply sat on her bed and blushed.

"Isabella, hello. I'm Dr. Cullen," the handsome blond man stepped up to her bed after exchanging pleasantries with her father.

"Hello," Bella returned quietly, looking away. Her cheeks were overheated and she was more than thankful that the sound of the heart monitor was too low for her father and the good doctor to hear.

Dr. Cullen smiled gently at her, obviously trying to put her at ease. "I hear you had quite the night."

"Oh, um, yes, I suppose so."

If Dr. Cullen expected more out of her, he didn't show his disappointment. Instead, he focused on her foot, lifting the cover, just enough to examine it easier. Bella blushed, wanting to shy away. Her reaction was ridiculous; she'd seen many doctors over the years, due to her accident-prone nature, and many of them had been young and handsome.

But none quite like this; he wasn't merely handsome, but he exuded a calm she found soothing. He was as pale as any other Forker, but his eyes were molten gold. They were kind and sympathetic, and Bella felt safe in his care – if unable to look at him without blushing madly.

She listened as Dr. Cullen gave her the news; by his expression, she could tell he thought she would be upset.

"Bed rest, for at least four weeks," he said, covering her legs back up with the blanket. "You can go home later today, and I will prescribe some pain medication for you, provided you come in if you feel feverish or there is swelling."

Charlie nodded, and Bella followed suit.

"I can also prescribe something to help you sleep, so you should hopefully not have any more nightmares," he said, smiling up at her. He closed the chart he'd been jolting down notes into with a snap, putting it back in the holder on her bed.

"I didn't have a nightmare," Bella said, suddenly sullen at the thought of this beautiful and kind doctor thinking something so childish of her. "I-" she glanced at her father, who looked at her curiously, and she lost her nerve. "Never mind." She looked away, out the window.

Dr. Cullen frowned. "If you didn't have a nightmare, what made you scream? Was it the pain?"

Bella made the mistake of looking into his eyes; before she knew what she was doing, she told him the truth; "I saw someone, looking at me through the window."

Charlie frowned, twisting around to look out the window. "You couldn't have, Bells; there's nothing there."

Bella, having been caught in Dr. Cullen's eyes, noticed his reaction. It gave her pause and she frowned slightly. He'd frozen completely; for a moment, he was absolutely still as he stared back at her. Then, he gave her a huge, _fake_ , smile and brushed off her concern. Without even taking a breath, he said goodbye, told Bella to be careful with her wound and avoid water for the time being and assured Charlie he would file the prescriptions right away so they could pick them up on their way out.

He was out the door within a minute, nearly running, leaving behind a surprised and slightly dazed Bella and a frowning Charlie.

"That was odd," Charlie commented, looking at his daughter. "He's not usually so... rushed."

Bella looked back at him, saying nothing.

"Well, I guess I should go see that nurse about getting you discharged." He hesitated in the door. "Will you be okay?"

Bella almost rolled her eyes; but then she remembered that Charlie had spent the night in a chair by her side. He was most likely exhausted, and her waking him in the middle of the night by screaming bloody murder probably hadn't helped matters any. "I will be fine," she said. "I promise I won't fall out of bed and break my arm."

"Don't even joke about that, Bella," he warned; recalling a certain hospital visit when she was seven. She'd fallen out of a tree and broken her leg. When it came time to take the cast off, she'd managed to fall off the exam table and break her arm in two places.

It had not been a good year, but thankfully, her father's insurance had covered much of her medical bills. That had been the year Renee realized she needed to settle down and earn them a steady income, should something similar happen again, which had led them to Phoenix.

When Charlie came back into the room, followed by a nurse who was there to grab Bella's chart, he found her sitting exactly where he'd left her. She was staring out the window, a blank look on her face. She didn't appear to have noticed his or the nurse's entrance, even though they hadn't been quiet as they walked in; it was a small town, they knew each other well.

"Bella?"

She startled, turning to face him. "Hi, yes, are we ready? Can we go?"

Charlie nodded. "Sally is here to help you get dressed. I'm afraid I haven't been by the house, so you will have to borrow a pair of scrubs from the hospital."

Bella nodded, unconcerned. Charlie left them so Bella could get dressed. Her foot hurt, but it was a dull ache. She was not allowed to put any pressure on it for now, and was supposed to keep it elevated for at least a week.

It was a good thing she'd brought some of her favorite books with her; especially now when she wouldn't be allowed to paint as planned.

When Sally wheeled her out of the room, Charlie was standing down the hall, talking to Dr. Cullen. The young doctor was the first to notice their arrival, despite having had his back to them. As soon as Charlie moved forward to intercept Bella and Sally, and take over from the nurse, Dr. Cullen left. He gave Bella a quick and polite wave before hurrying away.

"I figured we'd swing by and get some food from the diner," Charlie said as he helped her into the cruiser.

Sally had followed behind them, and took the wheelchair back into the hospital with her after wishing Bella a speedy recovery, winking as she said she hoped they didn't run into each other any time soon.

"I'm not really hungry," Bella said.

"You have to eat; you haven't eaten since yesterday," Charlie reminded her.

She relented and Charlie drove them down to Deb's Diner. He was a regular, and with the whole town knowing of the latest Bella Swan accident, his order was filled quickly while Bella waited in the car, staring out the window as the raindrops slid down the glass and ignoring the throbbing in her foot.

Charlie helped Bella up the stairs, as she was not allowed to put any pressure on her foot. Though she was small and Charlie was quite fit for a man of his age, it was a difficult task; made more difficult by the narrow staircase and Bella's reluctance to have her father carry her completely.

They made it to the bed unscathed, where Charlie helped Bella get settled; she was still dressed in the scrubs from the hospital.

"I'll get the food. You don't mind if we eat in here?"

Bella shook her head; glad that Charlie had insisted on a bright and sturdy comforter, which would now be used to protect her bedding from uncomfortable crumbs. There was nothing worse when trying to sleep than a bed full of crumbs you couldn't brush off without taking the sheets off and shake them out.

Charlie was still downstairs when Bella suddenly turned to the window. It being just past noon meant it was still light out, however dreary. Still, Bella didn't feel safe; quite the opposite in fact.

She felt as though someone was staring at her through the window.

As Charlie arrived in her room, their food on a tray which he helped settle on Bella's bed, she tried to shake the feeling. She was in a house with the Police Chief of this little town; a Chief who would move Heaven and Earth to keep her safe.

A Chief who carried a loaded gun.

They ate in silence, Bella on her bed with the tray beside her, and Charlie seated at her desk with his plate.

He had just finished his sandwich, Bella still picking at hers, when the phone rang downstairs. With a grunt, obviously tired from his night at the hospital, Charlie went down to answer.

Bella turned her eyes back to the window. It wasn't overly large, but it was large enough to fit a person, should anyone attempt to scale the wall. Thankfully, her father was not a keen gardener; at most he gathered leaves in the fall for the communal bonfire, and as a result, she at least didn't have to worry about anyone climbing up any trellis.

She picked some more at her sandwich, dutifully taking a few bites. She was hungry, but her stomach was too tied into knots over the potential presence outside, which she hoped she was freaking herself out over without any basis.

When Charlie returned, a frown marring his face, Bella had managed three more bites.

"What's wrong?" she asked, looking up at him.

"That was Dr. Cullen," he replied. "He said it might be good for you to go away for a while."

A tree branch outside snapped. Bella jumped, almost up-ending her water all over her bed at the noise; Charlie barely glanced towards the window. He was used to the sound trees falling.

"What do you mean? I thought he said I needed rest." Bella felt confused. The pain medication she'd been given directly through an IV at the hospital was starting to wear off, and she was suddenly acutely aware of the fact that she'd been released twenty-four hours after a rather major injury, judging by the bleeding. Though the hospital in Port Angeles wasn't large, as evident by her private room, they should've been more than capable of holding her for further observation – for at least one more night. "What's going on?"

"I don't know," the frown on Charlie's face deepened, "but Dr. Cullen is a good man, and a brilliant doctor. He wouldn't suggest anything that was detrimental to your wellbeing or recovery."

"So, we're going away?" Bella asked, still confused.

"No, no," Charlie said quickly. He ran a hand over his face, tired. "I don't know what has gotten into him, but you can't sit in a car for hours on end. And you certainly can't fly, not right now."

"So, we're staying here," Bella said, rather than asked.

"Yes."

The phone rang again, the shrill ring sounding almost angry. Charlie went to answer it. Outside, an incredible noise rocked the forest. Bella startled on the bed, upending her glass on the floor; the water soaked her new area rug beside the bed, but the glass didn't break. She turned towards the window, hoping to see something. Another hit; it sounded worse than thunder breaking overhead.

Charlie hurried up the stairs. "Stay there," he told Bella when he noticed her trying to get out of bed. He stepped in front of the window, trying to see what was causing the noise.

They waited, for over twenty minutes, in tense silence, but it didn't sound again.

"That was Carlisle," Charlie said, turning from the window.

"What? Who?" Bella blinked up at him.

"Dr. Cullen, he called again," he explained. "He suggested that if I don't take you far away, I should at least take you down to the reservation."

"What, why?"

Charlie attempted to shrug, but his shoulders were too tense to make the movement seem natural. "I have no idea. The Quiletue aren't exactly friendly towards the Cullens; quite the opposite in fact, with the whole lot of them refusing to go to the hospital in Port Angeles, simply because Dr. Cullen works there." He shook his head.

"So, I'm- dad, I'm incredibly confused right now."

Charlie looked at her, as if suddenly remembering she was still there. "Yes, sorry. We're going to the reservation. I'll call Billy, he should have room now that Rachel and Rebecca have both moved out. It might get a little tense, but he wouldn't turn us away."

"Why would it get tense?" Bella asked as Charlie moved towards the door with her tray.

"Dr. Cullen is a wonderful man. I have worked with him closely for over a year now, and those kids of his; not a lick of trouble from any one of them. But the tribe, and their legends. And now Dr. Cullen is saying... It's foolish, the whole thing, and Billy and I have..." he trailed off, seemingly to search for the right word.

"Argued," Bella supplied him with.

"You could say that, yes, we have argued over it. But he is my oldest friend, he will help."

"Help us with what?"

"I- I don't know," Charlie said, avoiding her eyes. "But I was going to take you down to La Push this week anyway, I just hadn't planned on us staying for long. Pack up what you need, I'll-"

"Dad?" Charlie was already turning to leave when Bella called him back. He turned, and she motioned to her foot. "I can't exactly jump around on one leg as I pack."

He swore low. Bella was shocked, having never heard such a thing from him before. Whatever was going on seemed to affect him more than he was letting on.

"I'll help you, just give me a moment."

He disappeared out the door; soon Bella heard him in the kitchen. She sat back against her pillows, confused and in pain. Her drugs were wearing off, but if they were going to go to the Black's house she needed to be alert enough to not be a dead weight during the trip. But when they arrived, all bets were off; she needed to sleep.

 _Chapter Five: La Push_


	5. La Push

**Chapter Five: La Push**

Charlie drove like a lunatic from their house towards La Push. Bella looked at the speedometer in shock. When houses began appearing along the side of the road again, signaling their arrival on the reservation, only then did he slow down. By the time they reached the Black's house, he was thankfully driving at his regular speed.

Bella said nothing and Charlie ignored her questioning eyes as he helped her out of the car.

A young boy came out of the small house, a large smile on his face. "Charlie, long time no see!"

"Hey, Jacob," Charlie returned the greeting as enthusiastically as he could. "Your old man here?"

"Sure, sure; he's inside with Clearwater," Jacob replied, his eyes on Bella in her hospital scrubs and oddly bent knee. "Hey, Isabella right? You might not remember me."

"Bella," she mumbled, leaning against Charlie. "I prefer to be called Bella."

"Oh."

Charlie looked between the two, still holding Bella up. "Give us a hand, Jake? Bella is injured and she refuses to let me carry her. She can't put any pressure on her left foot." As Jacob came forward to help, a little eagerly, Charlie turned to his daughter. "Are you all right if Jacob helps you? I need to head inside to talk to Billy and Harry real quick."

Bella nodded; both because she was fine, but mostly because Charlie had already released her to Jacob. He turned, about to walk ahead of them into the house, when he suddenly spun around again and pressed a kiss to Bella's forehead.

Shocked, Jacob and Bella watched him go, not looking back. Only when the door closed behind him did they turn to look at each other

"Are you dying?" Jacob asked, stunned at the show of emotion from the Chief.

"Not that I'm aware of," Bella replied in just the same tone of voice.

A moment passed as they looked at each other. Jacob suddenly took note of the way Bella was truly looking; not just her beauty, but also the tiredness that clouded her face and remembered what Charlie had said; she was injured. "Come on, let's get you inside," he said.

His father's decline into a wheelchair had been hard on his children; especially his young son, as he shouldered much of the burden of day-to-day care. Now, with Bella, Jacob used the techniques he'd learnt while caring for his father to help Bella walk from her father's police cruiser to his small home. It took some time, as Bella was stubbornly independent, but they were in no rush to get inside.

The house was quiet as they stepped inside and Jacob guided Bella to the couch. Charlie and Harry both sat in it, Billy by their side in his chair. The two tribesmen looked older than Bella remembered from visits past, and they both smiled, sadly, when they saw her. Charlie sat with his head in his hands, as if defeated.

"What's going on?" Jacob asked, helping Bella down into the sofa next to Charlie. It was a tight squeeze, as it wasn't very large, but they all fit.

Bella wanted to know the answer to Jacob's question as well, and she looked at the three men in turn; her father twice. None of them met her searching eyes.

"Bella and Charlie are going to be staying with us for a while," Billy told Jacob. "Would you mind making the beds in the girls' room up for them?"

Jacob nodded. He hesitated in the doorway, looking back at his father. But his father's expression revealed nothing, and Jacob left.

The silence in the small living room was uncomfortable and oppressive.

"I should get going," Harry said suddenly, standing. "Billy, Charlie; I will-" he glanced at Bella, who watched him with curious eyes, "I will see you both later. Isabella, it was a pleasure to meet you again. I am sorry to hear of your accident, and I hope you will heal soon."

He left, closing the door behind him.

"I should get started on dinner," Billy said, rolling away without a word.

Bella turned towards her father. "Dad," she started, but then hesitated. "What's going on?"

Charlie looked at her. "Oh, Bella. You have no idea." He looked incredibly sad, as if he'd just lost his best friend, but said nothing more.

Bella placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it gently to try and comfort him. He smiled, and put his arm around her. As she leaned against him, she realized this was the first time in almost eight years that they'd sat like this. Ironically, it too had been in La Push, although not at Billy's house. They'd been on the beach, having a bonfire with the tribe, and listened to the elders stories of the Quileute legends. It had been a wonderful evening, especially when her father had wrapped her up in a blanket and his arms, to keep her from getting cold and taking her home before the evening was over.

"I need more pain reliever," Bella reminded him gently. "My foot is starting to hurt."

"It's out in the car; I'll go get our bags. You just wait right here. Put your leg up on the table; don't worry, Jake keeps his feet on it all the time, they won't mind."

Bella did as she was told, feeling surprisingly better at the changed position. She leaned back against the cushion, wanting to close her eyes. But her foot was throbbing, and she doubted Billy or Jacob would appreciate her falling asleep on their couch and occupying what little living space they had – especially as Jacob was making up space for her in his sisters' old room.

Charlie brought her medicine and their bags back in with him. He gave her two pills, along with a glass of water from the kitchen. Bella took the pills eagerly, hoping they were fast working. Still in her scrubs from the hospital, Charlie helped Bella up and into the room they would be staying in for the duration of their visits with the Blacks. Jacob was still making one of the beds, but the other was finished, and it was into this one Charlie helped his daughter.

She was asleep before Charlie or Jacob had even left the room.

–

When Bella woke, it was dark. A rustling sound from outside woke her from her drug-induced sleep, and she sat up at the sound. Her father had given her the bed right next to the window; the curtains had been left open when he left, and though she didn't think anyone was watching her through the glass, she still closed the heavy curtains to give her a semblance of safety.

The bed next to hers was empty. She didn't know what time it was, but suddenly she became aware of an urgent need to use the bathroom.

Knowing she wasn't supposed to walk on her left foot, Bella shuffled forward as best she could on her right, using the furniture to keep her balanced. Luckily, it was a small room, and the furniture tightly packed. It was only when she reached the door that she realized that the hallway outside would most likely be cleared of objects, for Billy's chair, and unless her father was close at hand to help her, she would have to crawl down the hallway on her hands and knees to reach the bathroom.

Not a pleasant prospect.

She'd only managed to get the door open a smidge when she heard voices from the living room.

"I still can't believe it," her father said, his voice low and full of pain.

"I know," Billy replied. "But now you know why we refused to go to the hospital. We don't want to be treated by a leech."

"Don't call him that. Vampire or not, he's a good person. He's helped a lot of people."

Bella blinked. _Vampire_.

Suddenly, her bathroom need was not quite so urgent.

Billy snorted. "He's still a bloodsucking leech."

"You yourself said they don't feed on humans," Charlie argued, his voice rising slightly. In the quiet surrounding them, he noticed it immediately and lowered his voice again. "They can't be all bad; not if what you're saying is true and most vampires have no care for human life."

Bella frowned; suddenly remembering a Quileute legend about a blood drinker who was killed by the protectors of the tribe, when she had sought revenge for the killing of her mate.

"What if Carlisle hadn't called to warn me? He risked everything telling me, just to make sure Bella was safe."

The girl in question gasped, belatedly bringing up a hand to cover the sound. She waited, in tense anticipation, not breathing, for her father or Billy to reveal they knew she was listening, but they remained quiet.

"You understand it is not in me to give them any consideration," Billy said. "I wish I had been younger, so I could protect the tribe from them."

Bella could hear the confusion in her father's voice; confusion she shared. "What do you mean? You're human and you said they were incredibly strong."

"Well we-" Billy stopped himself. "I cannot tell you," he said, sadly. "If _I_ reveal anything, the treaty we have with them would be void and there would be no stopping the leech from coming onto our land. Right now, I believe it is only his family and how they would suffer if the treaty was broken that prevents him from killing us all."

There was a clinking of glass. "I can't believe it of him. He's just a boy. I know him; he's helped us on a number of occasions to find missing hikers." Charlie gave a short, humorless laugh, "I suppose I now know why he was so good at finding people. He and his brothers both; I just assumed they were keen hikers, as they said. They're certainly built for it, all the boys."

"Those boys are old enough to be your grandfather," Billy reminded him.

"I need a drink."

Bella closed the door and slowly made her way back to the bed. Only when she sat down on it, stunned and wide-eyed, did she remember she needed to use the bathroom. What little strength she'd had was drained on her short walk to and from the door, and knowing it was her only option, she called out for her dad's help.

There was a small crash in the living room before Charlie stormed in, eyes everywhere; he'd apparently thought she'd been attacked. Bella felt sorry for him, now that she knew why he'd behaved as he had since Dr. Cullen's call.

"I need help getting to the bathroom," she told him.

Charlie breathed a sigh of relief. "All right, come on." He helped her up, and despite her protests, lifted her into his arms.

"Dad, come on," Bella tried to argue.

"I've carried you since you were born, Bella; this is much faster."

She relented, resting her head against his shoulder during the short trip to the bathroom, and then back again when she'd finished.

He helped her settle back in bed, getting her more pills and another glass of cold water. "Sleep well," he said, pressing his lips to her hair.

"Good night, Dad," Bella returned, already yawning again.

Charlie was almost out the door when Bella called out to him.

"I- Dad, I heard you and Billy."

He looked at her. She looked at him.

"You can't leave La Push," he told her.

Bella nodded. "I won't," she promised.

He closed the door, leaving Bella to sleep.

 _Chapter Six: The Treaty_


	6. The Treaty

**Chapter Six: The Treaty**

In a large house on the other side of Forks, seven vampires were gathered.

Carlisle was the only one who stood, and his tortured expression cut deep into everyone else gathered; none more so than Edward, who was the cause of all the turmoil.

Edward was surrounded by his family; for support in his time of need, but also as a preventative measure, should he attempt another attack on Isabella Swan. Emmett and Jasper had barely been able to stop him in time last time, and only Carlisle's phone call to Charlie Swan had saved her.

Hearing his father's voice, even distorted over the line and distance, had helped Edward immensely. When not immediately exposed to the scent of Isabella Swan, he'd been able to control his hunger. But not his fascination, which was why he'd spied on her through the window of her hospital room, and later through the window of her home.

The day of her accident had started like any other day in the Cullen household. Carlisle had gone to work, and Jasper and Emmett had dragged themselves away from their wives long enough to join Edward out for a hunt, while the women stayed behind and worked on their projects in companionable separation.

Had Edward not hunted when Charlie came home later in the evening, with Isabella's scent still fresh around him, the day would've ended much differently.

Edward would've attacked Carlisle, blind to everything but the scent. While Carlisle would live, and be fully functioning again once his head reattached, Isabella Swan would have died in her hospital bed, her father already dead by her side.

As it was, Edward and his brothers had gutted themselves on the blood of their chosen prey, in anticipation of furthering their experiments in how long they could last without hunting. Jasper had a theory, that it wasn't simply the blood they all craved, but the act of the hunt itself; and he hoped to be able to build up his own resistance, if he hunted without catching a prey.

Edward had thought him foolish – nothing was worse than losing a prey when you were hunting; if anything, it would make his resistance weaker – and Emmett had not cared, just followed along for the thrill of the hunt. Emmett had been a hunter as a human, and took a lot of pleasure out of the hunt, even now when what he hunted was no match of him.

When Carlisle came home, having spent the last thirty minutes of his rounds in Isabella Swan's room, talking to her father as he looked over her medical history, he was merely stunned when Edward came at him, out of nowhere. Before anyone could blink, Edward had him thrown up against a wall, growling in Carlisle's face.

Having just recently satisfied his lust for hunting had helped, though when the scent of young Isabella Swan first hit him, he felt as though he hadn't eaten in years. Jasper had been able to calm Edward down with his gift once he got over his initial surprise, though it had been Esme's gentle persuasion that'd calmed Edward the most.

They talked him off the proverbial ledge, and once he stopped growling and could speak without wanting to attack Carlisle again, he tried his best to explain why he'd acted as he had towards the man he considered to be his father and best friend.

Only Emmett had ever experienced a similar blood lust, but even his feelings towards the scent in his memories, though clear as day, paled in comparison to Edward's reaction.

Edward vowed to stay away from the hospital and from the rest of Forks until the young Swan girl went back to her mother at the end of summer. It wouldn't be difficult; he rarely had occasion to be in the town as it was. The only difficult part would be knowing what kind of heavenly and mouthwatering human existed in the world – and so close to him. But he was strong. He would not go back to drinking from humans, especially not innocent little girls.

He could not.

The matter resolved, with a few worried looks thrown his way, they all eventually went back to their lives.

And Edward truly believed he could handle it. It was only a few weeks; if it came to it, he could grab his siblings and head up to Denali for the remainder of the summer. Remove himself from temptation.

But Carlisle could not let the thought of the girl go. Though he had showered and burned the clothes bearing her scent, the image of the young and unconscious girl in his mind almost affected Edward more than her scent had done.

He couldn't help it; she was driving him insane.

Alice and Jasper went with him as he left, claiming to be taking him out on another hunt – just to be safe. But in reality, they had agreed to follow him to the hospital, so Edward could see her for himself. The family wouldn't understand, but this was nothing new to them.

Edward and Alice often played dangerous games with human lives; the biggest gamble always being allowing Jasper to go to school when he hadn't fed in several days, and letting him and everyone believe they hadn't seen him kill over half the school, several times over, in Alice's visions.

Jasper came with them to restrain and subdue, Alice to be a lookout.

By fate, Isabella Swan had been placed in one of the small rooms at the top floor of the hospital. A large window allowed Edward a clear view of her, as she lay sleeping. He could hear the sound of her heart beating steadily as she slept. Thankfully, the ventilation system was internal, so he was not bombarded with her scent.

She was incredibly beautiful; Carlisle had not done her justice.

He stared at her for two hours, hiding only when the new nurse on duty passed by the room on her round.

When Isabella opened her eyes, in the middle of the night, Edward wanted to smile.

But she'd screamed, and before Edward had even registered what was happening, Jasper had pulled him up from his hanging position over the edge; he'd felt captured by her eyes and been unable to move away. Jasper and Alice had to work together to drag him away from the roof when the light eventually shut off again.

They hunted on their way back to the house, because not one of them liked to lie to their parents and Edward was ravenous.

They'd gotten away with their little game, as they always did. No one suspected a thing, not even Rosalie who was the most suspicious of them all.

Until the following morning, when Carlisle came home from the hospital unexpectedly and confronted Edward. It seemed Jasper hadn't pulled him away quickly enough and Isabella _had_ seen him, and she remembered it.

It had been an ugly fight; worse than when Edward had left Carlise and Esme to hunt humans.

Later, when Edward learned that Carlisle had sent Bella home, a thought his father had tried to hide from him, Edward had bolted.

He was the fastest in his family and that morning as he raced through the woods towards the Chief's house, he took advantage of that fact. He was at Isabella's house in mere seconds, and it felt as though he had only just caught sight of her when Charlie came into the room and told his daughter of the call from Carlisle.

The rage Edward felt at his father's betrayal was intense. Carlisle was trying to take Isabella away from him. In his lust addled mind, the thought that Carlisle wanted to keep her for himself was easily accepted, and Edward accidentally snapped a tree branch as he thought of his father; inadvertently alerting his siblings to his exact location.

The fight which ensued turned physical, though it was brief; Emmett and Jasper together was more than enough to subdue Edward, and though he had calmed after hearing the voice of his father, Edward still had to be carried back to the house, kicking and biting. Not even the fact that Carlise had broken the one rule the Volturi had, all to save a girl from his son, had been enough to snap Edward out of his selfish desires.

Since then, they had all remained in the living room, not speaking. Even Rosalie was quiet, having stopped her internal and loud tirade against Edward several hours previous.

"We must do something," Carlisle said eventually. "This cannot go on."

"What about the Volturi?" Esme asked quietly. "If they find out you told Charlie about vampires, they will kill you. They will kill us all."

"Not if we kill Chief Swan," Jasper said, always the soldier. His first priority was Alice, and protecting their family.

Though what he said was what everyone had thought, at least fleetingly, not one of them had any particular desire to kill the man; they all respected him and he had always treated them well; even defending them against his best friend from the reservation. Carlisle had gone so far as to call Charlie his friend when speaking to some colleagues a few months previous, and the sentiment had been returned by the man in question.

"It doesn't matter when he dies, only that he does, right?" Rosalie asked.

"What are you thinking?" Carlisle turned to her.

She shrugged. "He's going to die eventually; we just have to make sure to stay away from the Volturi until he does, and then they can't kill us."

Carlisle sighed. "I'm not sure if that would work, as Aro would also see this conversation and know that we planned in that way."

They were quiet again.

As everyone else around him thought of the Volturi and the possible ramifications of that particular crisis, Edward's thoughts were focused on Isabella Swan.

A treaty he himself had helped create, so long ago, protected her. If he stepped over into Quileute land, his family was no longer safe from the retribution of the protectors.

The thought gave him pause, and as Rosalie and Esme argued over the finer points of death by natural causes, Edward had an epiphany.

There were no protectors in this generation of Quileute.

His family would certainly have to move and never return to the area, but even if a group of protectors developed after they had left, there was no way any one of them would leave the pack, or La Push and the residents they were sworn to protect. Not to try and track down a group of vampires spread out across the world, over one single human who hadn't even been Quileute, however much her father might be an honorary member.

There was nothing stopping him from stepping over the invisible line except for himself, and the thought he might cause his family pain.

Their pain would be momentary though, and considering the many times he'd had to leave an area he liked after one of them slipped and killed someone, they owed him this one.

Alice shot him a look none of the others saw, too focused on trying to solve the problem Edward had created. She knew he was plotting murder, justifying his actions to himself.

He ignored her.

But her thoughts brought him out of his lust-induced haze, and he realized that not one of his family members would allow him out of their sight. Not until Isabella Swan was safely returned to her mother, and possibly not even for a long time after.

He would have to bide his time.

A Swedish proverb he'd heard once, nearly four decades ago, suddenly came to mind as fitting perfectly. _Den som väntar på något gott väntar aldrig för länge_.

And Edward had all the time in the world.

 **Author's Note** : _Den som väntar på något gott väntar aldrig för länge_. Swedish proverb, freely translated by myself; _He who waits for something good can never wait for too long._

 _Chapter Seven: Complications_


	7. Complications

**Chapter Seven: Complications**

Four weeks passed. Bella's foot healed well, but she was not permitted to leave La Push to get her stitches looked at, not at the hospital. Instead, Dr. Gerandy made a most irregular house call. He considered both Charlie and Billy good friends, and had been with Bella through several injuries (not to mentioned been the one to deliver her), and he agreed to come as a personal favor.

Bella still had to take it easy, but she was not as dependent on her father or Jacob anymore; a relief to them all, although Jacob missed holding her close when he helped her walk to and from places, once he was no longer needed to do so.

Her daily life improved, Bella set about trying to make it easier for the men she shared a house with as well; she took over the cooking duties, to the delight of them all, though she still had to rely on her father and Jacob to pick up the right ingredients. Not one of the males was good cooks; Billy had relied on his wife, and later daughters, to cook his meals, and Charlie had relied on Deb from the diner to provide him with food.

The only drawback to being shut off in La Push was that all of Bella's books were back in her room in Forks.

She was finally feeling better, and had been cleared for light activity, but with the constant rain and the threat of rabid vampires hanging over her head, all she wanted to do was sit inside the relatively safe house, and read.

Bella was incredibly bored.

One day, Jacob had finally noticed and when he asked her what she wanted to do and she told him she missed her books, he offered to swing by her house with some of his friends to pick books and more clothes up for her.

Blushing, and not entirely comfortable with the idea of having a teenage boy rifling through her underwear with the pretense of legitimately gathering clothes for her, Bella turned the offer down.

She regretted it only the following day, when Jacob went with Charlie and Billy on a fishing trip, leaving her alone for the day.

It had taken Charlie a long time to agree to the trip, even though he had been assured repeatedly that Bella was perfectly safe alone in La Push for a few hours; at any rate, she was no less safe than she was whenever Charlie was around.

In the end, it had been Bella who'd helped getting her dad to agree, even though she was truly apprehensive about being left alone. She had only done it to quit Billy's nagging. With the revelation of the Cullen family's undead status, the two were as close as they ever had been and Billy wanted to spend time with his best friend again.

When the conquering heroes returned later that night, a large catch of fish in their tow, Bella told Jacob she'd changed her mind about his offer; but only about the books.

He seemed eager to be of help to her, and early the next morning he and a group of friends set out to the Swan residence in search of Bella's books and some items for Charlie.

What they didn't know, was that just a minute before they pulled up in Quil's not entirely legally driven car, Rosalie Cullen vacated the house. She'd snuck in, curious about the scent and the non-descript girl she'd heard so little about but who made Edward completely crazy, and had turned her entire family up-side-down without even knowing it.

She'd not found much; the girl had poor taste in clothing, in more sense than one, and she liked to read. The only interesting tidbit had been the photos she kept by her bed; even Rosalie could admit the girl made a beautiful Dorothy, even though she was nowhere near as beautiful as Rosalie would've been in the same costume. But the important photo had been the one with the girl and her boyfriend.

Never quite understanding Edward's desire for the girl, and blinded by her jealousy to what her womanly intuition told her were warning signs of another girl stealing her spotlight, Rosalie believed this information would help him get over the human. That it would help him realize she was just like everyone else; she was nothing special. And considering the day she lived in, and with her parents being divorced, Rosalie had convinced herself Isabella was a girl of loose morals.

If anything would put Edward off a girl, Rosalie was certain it would be the thought that she was no longer a virgin. Even though Edward had told her the truth of his disinterest in her, she still believed that he'd not wanted her because she had not been a virgin when they met; regardless of how she'd lost said virginity.

She raced home, not noticing the banged-up car full of teenagers that pulled up to the house.

Edward was on her the moment she stepped into the house, noticing instantly she was covered in Swan scent.

"What did you do?" he growled, breathing her in.

Rosalie, as much as she loved Emmett and as much as she hated it when men objectified her, was a hypocrite. She wanted to be desired. She wanted to be desired by the otherwise aloof Edward in particular, as he had been the only one who had been unmated and still uninterested in her through-out the years. To see him now, looking at her with such lust, was gratifying. Even if his lustful expression was over the scent of the insignificant little human girl.

Instead of replying verbally, Rosalie showed him what she'd seen; from the few clothes still hanging in the closet, to the row of well-loved old books on her desk. She saved the best for last; the image of her and her human boyfriend.

She wanted to smirk in victory, smug in her belief that she'd gotten through to him, when Edward went rigid. Jasper looked uncomfortable, and he came closer with cautious eyes on Edward.

" _No!_ "

Everyone turned to Alice at her exclamation, and it was in that brief second of time that Edward ran.

There was no time to think; everyone followed, as fast as they could.

"What did you do?" Alice screamed at Rosalie as they ran next to each other through the forest.

"Nothing," Rosalie screamed back, her hair flying as she jumped over a particularly large rock.

"Rosalie, if you did something you have to tell us," Carlisle called out to them. He'd been in the kitchen when Edward bolted, and the extra steps he had to take to reach the door meant he was behind the rest of them.

Jasper, their second fastest runner, but no match to Edward, had already pulled ahead. He was focused on catching Edward before it was too late; so focused, that he didn't even notice they weren't running towards the Swan residence, but towards La Push.

"I just showed him his little human was already taken, all right," Rosalie called back, her tone confrontational. Rosalie had never done well with having her actions questioned. "It's not my fault she's not virtuous."

"Jasper!" Alice called suddenly, panicked.

The sound of his wife's voice, the only sound in the world to stop him, brought him to a halt. He turned on the spot, not even half a meter away from the treaty line.

Edward had already passed it.

The remaining Cullens gathered along the invisible line.

"Now what do we do?" Emmett asked. For the first time any one of them could remember, he sounded unsure.

Everyone looked to Carlisle. He looked older than the twenty-three years he'd been when he was changed, his soul heavy. "We have to leave. We can never return."

"What about Edward?" Esme asked, her voice small. Edward was her first child; he had helped her heal from the pain of losing her infant son, as much, if not more so than Carlisle had.

"We can't help him now," Carlisle said. "If we go over, we forfeit our lives." He looked at his mate, and in the corner of his eye he saw the other two couples sharing similar looks he was sharing with his wife. "I alone can't stop him, and I'm afraid another vampire would only make him territorial, and more people would die." He eyed Jasper and Emmett. "And I- I alone can't subdue him, but if blood has been spilled already..."

He didn't continue, but everyone understood; neither Emmett nor Jasper had enough resistance to stop themselves from feeding if blood had been spilled, and neither did any of the women – not even Rosalie, who had the most control after Carlisle and Edward.

"Should we split up?" Jasper asked. "Join together somewhere else?"

Esme looked as though her heart was breaking.

"We will go North, to Denali. If we are lucky, Edward will join us there. _After_."

They turned, one man down, and with failure weighing them all down, they ran back the way they'd come, their feet light but their hearts heavy.

 _Chapter Eight: First Sight_


	8. First Sight

**Chapter Eight: First Sight**

Charlie had taken Billy over to Harry Clearwater's house. It was just down the street from the Black's, and though the Clearwater's had a daughter, Leah, whom Bella had spent some time during her weeks on the reservation, she knew Leah preferred her boyfriend's company over that of Bella's.

The lack of Leah's friendship was more than fine with Bella, and would be even more so when Jacob returned with her books, but it did bring to mind that she hadn't spoken to Ryan in nearly three days. Bella had found it increasingly difficult to talk to him; it made her homesick – especially when she realized it may be some time before she was able to return safely to Phoenix. Billy had assured her the elders would call a meeting with the leader of the Cullens, Dr. Carlisle, to work out a way for Bella to leave Forks without being attacked by his son. But so far, the elders had accomplished little more than arguing amongst themselves.

At least when they were discussing official tribe business. How they could go from arguing one minute, nearly shouting at each other over an issue each person felt strongly for, to sitting down together with their families and sharing a meal was baffling to Bella. But then, she had never handled conflict very well, so would have had a hard time flipping the switch back and forth with a friend.

Since unofficially moving into the Black's house, Bella had felt uncomfortable using the phone. Though her father told her to use the phone as she would have in his home, and he would pay Billy for the charges she made when calling Phoenix, she still felt bad about doing it. It was obvious the Black's didn't have a lot of money, like most of the tribe. It was a disconcerting thought to Bella, to imagine Billy opening a bill from the phone company and her father paying the amount without blinking – an amount that was probably more than what Billy usually spent during the whole course of the year on his phone bill.

She'd tried to push the thought away, arguing with herself that her father and Billy had been friends since they were children and thatvBilly was well aware of the fact that her father had more money than he, just as her father was aware of the fact that he had more money than many of his reservation friends put together; thanks in part to his job and savings, but also from an inheritance. The friends had managed to deal with their monetary differences up until now; one phone call to her best friend would not change anything.

The truth was, Bella was afraid to call Ryan. He had the uncanny ability to tell when something was wrong, and then drag it out of her. Her inability to lie had been a cause of great amusement to Ryan over the year they'd known each other; up until the day she got them both detention when she'd been unable to lie convincingly enough to fool their English teacher.

Dialing the number by heart, Bella hobbled back and forth across the small kitchen as she waited for someone to pick up, unable to sit still now that she was allowed to move. She hoped it wouldn't be Ryan's father who answered; Mr. Stevens was not a man she particularly enjoyed speaking to.

"Stevens Residence, this is Tanya."

"Tanya, hey, it's Bella. I was wondering if Ryan was home," Bella greeted Ryan's sister; the girl was three years younger than they were, and was looking forward to when she would be able to start high school. Ryan was not, knowing how much trouble she would get into – especially when Ryan would be going off to college and not be able to keep an eye on her.

"Hi, Bella, yes, he's right here, hang on. _Ryan, your girlfriend is on the phone_."

Tanya asked Bella a question after calling out for her brother, but Bella heard nothing; the minute Tanya had shouted for Ryan, the whole kitchen wall had caved in and then been ripped out completely.

Bella dropped the phone, and it disappeared under several layers of dust and debris on the floor.

When the dust settled, Bella saw him.

In front of her stood a vampire. He was young, he was pale and his eyes were pitch black.

" _Bella_?" Ryan's voice could be heard through the phone as he shouted; the house coming down had been heard all the way to Arizona. " _Bella, can you hear me? What's goin_ -"

His voice cut off when the vampire stepped on the phone, deliberately smashing it in pieces. He walked up to her, calm as though he hadn't just ripped the house apart around her.

His dark eyes were focused intently on her face as he leaned down, almost brushing his nose with hers in an attempt at coming closer. Bella stood frozen, her heart pounding and her eyes unable to blink as she watched the impossibly beautiful boy standing in front of her.

Slowly, he reached up a hand and placed over her heart. Her heartbeat tripled in speed and he smiled, crookedly.

It was oddly endearing, and as she looked into his eyes, for a moment Bella forgot he was a vampire there to kill her, and thought of him as the beautiful boy who found her as fascinating as she found him.

" _BELLA_!"

The spell was broken by her father's voice; he was still outside, running towards the house as he screamed her name. Both of their heads swerved as one towards the sound, the vampire making a small movement as if to intercept.

"No, please," Bella begged, placing a hand on his arm.

He looked down at it for a moment, as if considering her words.

Then, he grabbed her. Bella kept her eyes closed as he ran; the rush of the wind and the passing of the trees were making her dizzy.

He didn't put her down until they reached a small clearing; it was filled with flowers, and ordinary Bella would have been charmed at the sight. But now she was too focused on the vampire boy whose eyes did not leave her to even look around.

She swallowed heavily, and his eyes caressed the curve of her neck.

Bella was going to die.

She closed her eyes, a tear escaping. It was wiped, so gently, away from her cheek by a cold finger. Bella gasped, opening her eyes to meet the dark eyes of her capturer.

He leaned forward and ran his open lips over the curve of her cheek, tasting the wetness that lingered from her tear with his tongue. Bella stood still, allowing him.

When his lips reached the curve of her neck, he paused. "This will hurt," he whispered against her skin in a melodic voice.

The coolness of his breath brought a shiver down her spine, and she steeled herself against the pain. She didn't know why he had warned her; she had always figured dying would be painful.

He kissed her skin, before opening his mouth wider and biting down, sinking his teeth into her jugular.

–

For an eternity and two days, she burned.

On the third day, she opened her eyes to a new world; the same, but incredibly different.

The first thing she saw was the flowers she'd rested on; they covered the entirety of the small meadow, creeping into the forest between the trees, wherever there was light enough for them to survive.

It was the most beautiful sight she had ever seen.

But the flowers were not, as it turned out, the most beautiful thing in the meadow.

He was.

 **The End.**


End file.
